A question. Now, I'm obviously planning for any submission of mine to come in at exactly 750 of 1500 words, but for the sake of everyone else ;) - at what point would it be possible to stop, look at the word-count and say: "Close enough."? Within 100 words? 50? 10?
Director of Narrative
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A question. Now, I'm obviously planning for any submission of mine to come in at exactly 750 of 1500 words, but for the sake of everyone else ;) - at what point would it be possible to stop, look at the word-count and say: "Close enough."? Within 100 words? 50? 10?
As someone who may be editing your piece, I’d say get as close as possible to the target. If you go over I’m going to have to cut words, and if you go under, I’m going to have to write words to fill the space. So, the closer the better.
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A question. Now, I'm obviously planning for any submission of mine to come in at exactly 750 of 1500 words, but for the sake of everyone else ;) - at what point would it be possible to stop, look at the word-count and say: "Close enough."? Within 100 words? 50? 10?As someone who may be editing your piece, I’d say get as close as possible to the target. If you go over I’m going to have to cut words, and if you go under, I’m going to have to write words to fill the space. So, the closer the better.
The piece I submitted came in at 1,488 words. If necessary, I can always write a bit more flavor text (I can ALWAYS write MORE :)
I've found my muse. I'll be submitting one Pathfinder's writings concerning an elusive creature haunting Varisia...one that makes the Sandpoint Devil seem almost mundane. Brainstorming is about done, so its time for the writing to begin. :D
Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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As your bewildered Managing Editor, it looks like I also get to start beating the "fund-raising" drum!
Putting together Wayfinder issues is accomplished by a lot of volunteers. We aren't paid for this...we do it because we want to contribute to the greater Paizo community. And cost of making a digital 'zine and distributing it on the web for free is a donation of time and effort that is quite acceptable, from a pocket-book standpoint.
However, for the odd-numbered Wayfinder issues, we do something different. We PRINT physical copies, and give them to each PaizoCon attendee, each Paizo employee, each advertiser, and each contributor. Unfortunately, we haven't found a printer that is willing to donate their printing services for free...so, these printed Wayfinders have a cost. Advertising defers some of that cost (which is why we DO advertising!). But it is the Paizo Community, as a whole, that has stepped up these past two years to help make this happen. Your generosity has helped sustain this fanzine, and this tradition of making a printed version possible.
Thank you.
So, as we start up the engine on Wayfinder #5, I'm asking you for your help again. Please consider making a donation to help us pay for the printing and shipping costs for this issue. Donations can be made through PayPal to my account . We will accept donations only until our costs are covered.
What do you get for this, other than a that super-awesome feeling of being part of a great community? All donors get an acknowledgement in the Wayfinder. Plus, donations of $10 or more makes you eligible to receive a printed copy of Wayfinder #5 (extra shipping costs may apply, though).
So, please think about what Wayfinder represents here, and what its content is worth to you, and whether you'd like to take part in supporting it.
Consider this the first beating.
AWESOME! And a super strong theme! Can't wait to see what folks come up with.
Sweet theme, now to get cracking on my poems.
I'm cooking up something "Spicey" in my home laboratory for this issue of Wayfinder and wanted to run it by you, Tim.
It involves a Varisian-themed Weal-and-Woe article of two NPCs (at 750 words x 2 for each stat-block writeup) followed by a mini-adventure location which will reference and rely on both of the stat-blocks for these NPCs. The mini-adventure would take up another 1,500 words if I'm going to do it justice...plus a small map, which would also take up some space normally reserved for artwork.
Any thoughts or concerns about these twin "supporting/synergizing" articles? Would I be wearing out my welcome if I wind up occupying the equivalent of 3,000 words along with a map? Would anyone even find a mini-adventure like that interesting enough to warrant including it in an issue of Wayfinder? Or, would you prefer I just do the Weal-and-Woe article(s) at 1,500 words and leave it at that?
Just trying to contribute my usual two cents while doing something new and interesting,
--Neil
I'll work up some poetry. Have a thought already, and it fits neatly with Varisia....
Oh, Varisia!
When I'm gone I miss-a-ya
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Tim. Sent you an e-mail. About some things. The chief thing is surprise. Surprise and fear... fear and surprise...
The two things are fear and surprise.
And ruthless efficiency.
The three things are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the canon...
The four... no... amongst the things... amongst the things... are such elements as fear, surprise...
I'll come in again.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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Tim. Sent you an e-mail. About some things. The chief thing is surprise. Surprise and fear... fear and surprise...
The two things are fear and surprise.
And ruthless efficiency.
The three things are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the canon...
The four... no... amongst the things... amongst the things... are such elements as fear, surprise...
I'll come in again.
You forgot the nice red uniforms :D
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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You forgot the nice red uniforms :DTim. Sent you an e-mail. About some things. The chief thing is surprise. Surprise and fear... fear and surprise...
The two things are fear and surprise.
And ruthless efficiency.
The three things are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the canon...
The four... no... amongst the things... amongst the things... are such elements as fear, surprise...
I'll come in again.
And the comfy chair...
Hi Tim!
I sent you a little story.
I was going to say, "Fetch the comfy chair." It looks like someone beat me to it. :D
Greetings, fellow travellers.
Is there still space to submit a weal&woe pair of chars?
Ruyan.
The deadline is April 12th, so I don't think you should hold back. So far none of the submissions I've had in were sent in before the last day (in the case of the first one because I'm a nitpicky tinkerer, and in the case of the second because of an illness in the family that left me unable to write anything until about 72 hours before the deadline passed ...and then my computer broke down).
tack så mycket.
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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Hi there Tim.
I submitted a piece to Liz before the open call was up. She informed she forwarded it to you. It is a "Tales from the Front" article that comes in just under 3000 words. I have no problem turning this into a two-part tale for #5 and #6 if this works better for you.
Hey, Malik...Liz forwarded that to me, so I DO have it. I sent you an email about it.
I really -really- want to contribute to Wayfinder at some point. But right now I have a big (unannounced from Paizo) project on my desk that's getting my creative time, and my job is killing me (cell bio R&D in a grossly understaffed group...).
On the upside, I do have fiction ideas for this or PF chronicler. However one of them so totally won't fit that PG13 rating.
It can't be that important if it's unannounced. I'm sure you can slack off a day or two. ;)
(And I totally feel you on the PG13 thing. Doesn't get better by the fact that some of the things that would make an American ratings-board howl* for your blood if you presented it for a teen audience would make Swedish literary critics howl** for your blood if it wasn't included or at least alluded to.)
* Yes, I do indeed picture anyone involved in any kind of censorship capacity (by whatever name it is called) as a werewolf.
** Or, in the case of Swedish literary critics, a very dumb poodle.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Just a reminder...TWO WEEKS left until the Wayfinder #5 submissions deadline.
I have 10 submissions so far...
10 submissions in 10 days? Time to start the hamster wheels turning and churn out some words people! Um, 10 submissions total or 10 people have submitted?
I would like to see the following prestige clases: Varisian dancer, Lyrune-Quah hunter, monster/vampire slayer, Whispering Way cultist, a class inspired by the Flagbearer feat for Orc/Half-Orc.
Maybe some tribal type Settlement or Realm Building stuff.
I just hope the Hold of Belkzen doesn't get neglected.
I hope to finally be able to write something for this darn thing - fits the theme too! :P
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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Just a reminder...TWO WEEKS left until the Wayfinder #5 submissions deadline.
I have 10 submissions so far...
10 submissions in 10 days? Time to start the hamster wheels turning and churn out some words people! Um, 10 submissions total or 10 people have submitted?
I would like to see the following prestige clases: Varisian dancer, Lyrune-Quah hunter, monster/vampire slayer, Whispering Way cultist, a class inspired by the Flagbearer feat for Orc/Half-Orc.
Maybe some tribal type Settlement or Realm Building stuff.
I just hope the Hold of Belkzen doesn't get neglected.
10 submissions total. Now up to 12 or 13, but those are essentially 2nd submissions by a couple of you now.
I should mention that we roughly go by a "first submitted, first selected" sort of rule, unless the piece needs too much work/editing, or if the piece violates the submission guidelines.
Procrastination is NOT advised here, people. Get 'em in!
Just a reminder...TWO WEEKS left until the Wayfinder #5 submissions deadline.
I have 10 submissions so far...
10 submissions in 10 days? Time to start the hamster wheels turning and churn out some words people! Um, 10 submissions total or 10 people have submitted?
I would like to see the following prestige clases: Varisian dancer, Lyrune-Quah hunter, monster/vampire slayer, Whispering Way cultist, a class inspired by the Flagbearer feat for Orc/Half-Orc.
Maybe some tribal type Settlement or Realm Building stuff.
I just hope the Hold of Belkzen doesn't get neglected.
10 submissions total. Now up to 12 or 13, but those are essentially 2nd submissions by a couple of you now.
I should mention that we roughly go by a "first submitted, first selected" sort of rule, unless the piece needs too much work/editing, or if the piece violates the submission guidelines.
Procrastination is NOT advised here, people. Get 'em in!
(edited, polished)
Dear Mr. PaizoCon 2011 Editor,I believe that what it may have been more appropriate to say was something more along the lines of 'Procrastination is the Perogative of Succubi and they do not Take Kindly to others who Impinge upon their Privilege'. Either that or: 'I have a machine powered by ten-thousand dretches in over-sized hamster wheels which in just over a week and a half's time will start churning out random articles to fill whatever slots are left, mwuahahahaha!'
An upper case 'not' (which doesn't even have bold or italic for emphasis) just comes across as if you're a headmaster raising his voice at one of those wearisome Chelish acadamies where they teach pupils first and foremost how to 'correctly' hail Asmodeus. If you want to apply pressure and make it even more difficult for writers struggling to get something effective in, that's frankly a bit weak and watery. You need to be more manic. And Evil.
Hoping that you have found this feedback Helpful.
Yours,
Ask A Succubus Journalist.
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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..., unless the piece needs too much work/editing, or if the piece violates the submission guidelines.Do we get a heads up if our submission needs work? Or suggested format/content change?
I've been reading over each article and checking the word count, and advising people to edit/add to hit the desired word count more closely. I haven't really delved into glaring rules errors, though. If I read something that I really feel "meh" about, I might send it back and ask that you give it another try. However, once these go off to my editors, they are sort of "in the hopper". If a piece requires too much editing, formatting, or a rewrite, we won't use it for this issue.
We have a short turn-around on this one, so we can't spend the time with major reworks.
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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(edited, polished)
Dear Mr. PaizoCon 2011 Editor,
I believe that what it may have been more appropriate to say was something more along the lines of 'Procrastination is the Perogative of Succubi and they do not Take Kindly to others who Impinge upon their Privilege'. Either that or: 'I have a machine powered by ten-thousand dretches in over-sized hamster wheels which in just over a week and a half's time will start churning out random articles to fill whatever slots are left, mwuahahahaha!'
An upper case 'not' (which doesn't even have bold or italic for emphasis) just comes across as if you're a headmaster raising his voice at one of those wearisome Chelish acadamies where they teach pupils first and foremost how to 'correctly' hail Asmodeus. If you want to apply pressure and make it even more difficult for writers struggling to get something effective in, that's frankly a bit weak and watery. You need to be more manic. And Evil.
Hoping that you have found this feedback...
Dear Succubus Journalist,
Not all journalists are CE...those, I suspect are mostly working at Fox News. I, myself, follow the tenets of Abadar, where Law and Order reign. I am greatly pleased that I came across as a stern headmaster, admonishing my students for their general lack of motivation, for that is, indeed, the tone in which I wished to deliver my message. Abadar desires those who help themselves, which in turn helps us all!
Therefore, should there be persons out there who have a "one-of-a-kind" idea that yearns to be put to paper, know then that there is a place where it belongs: Wayfinder #5! The Paizo fans' own Vault, where YOUR contribution shall be placed for all time!
So it is Judged,
Timitius, E.I.C., Wayfinder.
Noted, Black Fang. I will be assembling the army of editors soon.I know the bestiary in #4 was a combo of at least 3 different submissions, and the Zertus Hargon piece in #1 was two submissions.
Some things get grouped, which makes for larger individual articles.
Timitius: Keep me in mind for double/triple checking statblocks. Please and thanks.
I'm happy to help again, promise to be more responsive, and would welcome a larger role, if needed.
You forgot the nice red uniforms :DTim. Sent you an e-mail. About some things. The chief thing is surprise. Surprise and fear... fear and surprise...
The two things are fear and surprise.
And ruthless efficiency.
The three things are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the canon...
The four... no... amongst the things... amongst the things... are such elements as fear, surprise...
I'll come in again.
Nice? Nice?!? Those are nifty red uniforms. NIFTY.
See- I'm editing already.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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You forgot the nice red uniforms :D
Nice? Nice?!? Those are nifty red uniforms. NIFTY.
See- I'm editing already.
Sez you, :P
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Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
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Sez you, :P
You forgot the nice red uniforms :D
Nice? Nice?!? Those are nifty red uniforms. NIFTY.
See- I'm editing already.
confess....confess!...CONFESS!....CONFESS!!!!
Just sent my submission. Hope others are sending theirs in as well.